Stars and Boulevards
by FamousLastLines
Summary: "Start a band with me," Percy blurted, and Jason knew that by accepting the guitar he had signed his soul to the devil. How hadn't he seen this coming? "A band?" Jason acted surprised, but all along he'd subconsciously assumed there'd be a catch. "Yeah! It won't be sitting in your closet if you have an extensive reason to play it, right?" {A PJO/HoO Band! AU}
1. The Beginning & the End

As the time approached mid-noon, the familiar sound of the school day's final bell rang in Jason's ears. Of course, he wasn't actually _inside_ the school. From where he stood, he caught a glimpse of the first crowd of teenagers hustling to get off the premises as quickly as possible. Soon enough, kids were pouring from the front entrance of the high school, and Jason was quick to pinpoint the familiar faces throughout the mass of unfamiliar ones. Even though Jason had been on Half-Blood high's campus plenty of times, the place still seemed so foreign to him. The atmosphere, students, and general body seemed so much different than Jupiter high. Holding his gaze on the statue of the Greek god, Dionysus, that was erected in the center of the quad, the blonde hardly had time to react to the arm that quickly linked around his own.

"What is it, Sparky? So busy critiquing our dear Dionysus that you didn't even notice your _girlfriend's_ arrival?" Even before looking her in the face, Piper's huge grin was evident in her voice. Actually looking at her glowing smile was a treat, though.

"You know, most high school's have a flagpole," Jason responded as his lips quirked up in return.

"I don't know, it's kind of cool having the Greek god of alcohol as our mascot. Gives us a rebellious flair..."

"A rebellious flair? Nice one, beauty queen! Try teenage alcoholics!" Leo's voice rang out opposite from Piper's, and soon enough, he was beside Jason as well.

"Pretty sure he's the god of wine, guys. All these years, and you haven't established that? Psh, amateurs," Jason played as they all began making their way off the campus.

"Fine, try... _sophisticated_," Leo grinned, "But not too sophisticated for mac & cheese. Let's grab lunch."

Jason Grace's life had fallen into a routine pattern through his high school years, and very rarely did anything disrupt that pattern. There were expectations to fulfill, funds to be earned, duties to be taken account of... His time was occupied accordingly, rarely thrown to the birds, and that's how he preferred things. Simple, to the point, and considerably mundane to most normal teenagers. What could he do? Really, if there was no plan, he tended to become unreliable.

Unreliable, not to mention insecu-

Jason dropped his hand to Piper's and laced his fingers through hers, taking a tight hold on her hand. She squeezed back as she casually used her other hand to shove french fries in her mouth, her attention fixated on whatever topic Leo was blabbing about. Piper was incredible; definitely among one of the most intellectually stimulating people Jason had ever met. Maybe it was cliché, but he was perfectly fond of a girl with a big mind and...

_chomp, chomp, chomp._

an even bigger appetite. He admired her lack of abuse towards her beauty. While it appeared that many girls their age were extremely focused on vanity, Piper's mind was elsewhere, and she actually put more effort into avoiding confrontation that she was- as Leo would say- a total babe. Despite the fact that she appeared to cut her hair with a lawnmower and wore raggedy clothes either from thrift shops or dumpster diving, Piper was the crown jewel that only those who actually paid her the time of day got to admire. Not to mention her eyes, which sparkled like stain glass ornaments in the sunlight. Yeah, her eyes _definitely_ got Jason every time.

Then there was Leo, who was this amazing constant in Jason's life. Jason had come to appreciate and admire Leo like a brother now that they had grown older. Although, some time back, during a more experimental phase, "brother" wouldn't have been the most appropriate word. The two had had their happy ending sleepovers, which always ended in mutual agreement that no, they would _never_ be anything more, and yes, they would _never_ mention it to Piper. Like, _ever_. Not because they were scared of what she'd think, but mostly because she would tease them to no end considering their status as best bros. Jason could see it then.

"_So, Jason, who's a better kisser? Me or Leo?"_

"_Pipes, come on, were were like, 13..."_

"_If you have any unfinished business with my boyfriend, Valdez, there's a closet over there. I'll just mind my business and pretend I'm as clueless as you lead me on to be for years!"_

"_Ew, Piper, come on now! I wouldn't mess around with him anymore. Gosh, I have some pride!"_

When Jason wasn't with his little crew, which was often considering they went to separate schools, he involved himself in both the academic, athletic, and urban community. At school, he was a president of the student counsel, working alongside with his co-student counsel president _and_ ex-girlfriend Reyna. He was also a proud member of the aeronautics club. If that wasn't a handful, Jason had a night job at one of New York's most acclaimed music shops, The Starving Musician. Random? Maybe a bit, but in all honesty, his job at the shop had broadened his musical spectrum and whipped him into a much more receptive youth. Constantly dealing with different types of people and their wide extent of music needs does that to you, apparently. Jason had taken the job from his friend Percy after deciding he was tired of being broke and leaching off his dad and it would also make him seem really cool. Not to mention the job occupied more of his time and satisfied the 11th grader's ADHD. If he was exhausted, he wouldn't have time to over-think things, or to sit around his room, twitching with anticipation to fill in the period of boredom he used to face most nights.

That was his life. Wake up, school, student counsel/aeronautics (besides Wednesdays, in which Jupiter high got released early, granting him the opportunity to hang out with Piper and Leo), work, sleep. He was the golden boy who everybody looked up to, and who cared indefinitely about his peers, but take away the distractions and he was as confused and burdened by his future as every other adolescent. With no distractions, his mind tended to wander, and wander, and wander...

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a bump on the shoulder, and was struck by the realization that he was no longer holding Piper's hand. She had released his death grip to bop him with her fist, resulting in a very confused looking Jason.

"You okay, Jason? You seem a bit distracted-"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he responded quickly, refocusing his attention on his friends, "What about you guys? How's school been? What's the latest at _Degrassi_?"

Piper and Leo shared a knowing look as Jason chomped on his sandwich, suddenly aware that the blonde hadn't heard a word they'd said.

"School's been fine, but, yeah. You know, you seem really tired, bud. Don't you think you should lay off all the responsibilities a bit?" Leo drummed his fingers against the table, anxious to do something with his hands. Piper watched her suitor closely for a reaction, hopefully an agreement, to no avail. Jason simply shrugged his shoulders as he finished off the last of his lunch and wiped his hands on his jeans. Piper grunted in disapproval and shoved the napkin dispenser down in front of him, earning a small laugh from Jason.

"What do you mean 'all the responsibilities'? Come on guys, being a part of some high school clubs and making minimum wage as a counter boy at some hipster music shop isn't remotely close to having a lot of responsibilities. Now, working as a chef at a grilled cheese joint is a responsibility I probably couldn't handle. ISN'T THAT RIGHT, FRANK?" Jason shouted over his shoulder, accompanied by a friendly wave of the hand at his fellow member of the student counsel. Frank was just checking in to work, his apron barely in hand, but he smiled and returned the gesture to Jason before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Ugh, you know what we mean, Jason! It_ is _a lot of responsibility for a 16 year old. It's like we barely even see you anymore," Piper added, brushing some hair from her face. Jason sighed and clasped his hands together, slowly growing irritated by his friends' parental nagging.

"What do you suggest I do? I can't leave student counsel and I've barely had this job for two months. It's not wearing me out guys, I promise, and that's final," Jason concluded before playfully kicking Leo in the foot and then turning to peck Piper on the cheek. If he said he was okay, the two knew better than to keep bugging him about it. Leo's mouth twitched a bit until his lips formed an unsure smile.

"Alright, golden boy, you win, but since you're working, you're treating us to a movie, right?" Leo fluttered his eyelashes and edged forward a bit towards his best friend.

"Oh, lay off, Valdez. I haven't even been paid for the month and you're already abusing the dark magic that is my paycheck?" Jason grinned, and Leo shrugged.

"It was worth a shot. Guess I'm not as persuasive as your shady gal pal over here. Though, I'm sure that mouth of hers can do a bit more than persuading..."

The table jumped from how hard Piper kicked him, earning a shout of pain from the shorter boy followed by the sound of their trays falling to the floor. Immediately, the group burst into a fit of laughter, and just then, enveloped in the warmth of bonding with people he loved, Jason felt perfectly at ease.

"I know this one!" Piper wiggled around in her spot, perched atop the checkout counter. "It's Styx! Renegade!"

"That'd be two points for Piper and," Jason checked the receipt in which he was keeping score of his friends' little competition, "twelve for Leo."

Leo shot the two a devious look before doing a fist pump. Piper scrunched her nose up and rolled her eyes, her legs swinging and creating a little _thud!_ every time her calves came back in contact with the counter.

"I guess I don't have time to sit around playing _SongPop_ all the time, like some people," Piper teased, causing Leo to thin his lips and wave her off dismissively.

"Don't flatter yourself, beauty queen! I just have basic knowledge of good music engraved into my crazy little brain."

"Little's right," she reciprocated, causing Leo's mouth to fall open, before the three burst into giggles once again.

"Alright, sheesh, I walked into that one!"

"You know I only play because I wuv you..." Piper jumped down from the counter and wrapped a friendly arm around Leo, who was now playing with his cell phone. "But it's getting dark out. We should get going."

"Agreed. You okay alone here, Jay?" Leo asked as he shoved his phone into his pocket and began to make his way toward the shop's door, Piper following closely.

"I don't know if I can handle my last hour here without you guys bickering like Romans," Jason said sarcastically, adding a dramatic sigh for emphasis. "BUT I guess I'll just have to manage."

Without notice, Piper spun around and ran back to the counter, reaching her arms over to wrap them around Jason's neck and smack a kiss against his jaw. Jason liked how she was several inches shorter, and how generally soft and gentle (when she wanted to be) Piper was. Although most people were shorter than Jason, who measured in at a towering 6'1, there was something nice about being able to snuggle someone so much more petite than himself. He rubbed a small heart-like pattern into her back before they released each other, their eyes momentarily locked.

"Watch yourself, golden boy. Text me when you get home?"

"Yeah, I will."

"I love you," she confessed softly, earning a momentary pause from Jason.

"Love you too, Pipes."

_8:45 PM_

The Starving Musician closed in 15 minutes, and as Jason stared up at the store's logo, a dark silhouette of a man playing a saxophone, he couldn't help but agree that he was _also_ starving. Yeah,_ Maybe not so much a musician, though_, he thought. His eyes scanned the equipment that was scattered among the shop, his mind wondering what it would be like to have a special grip on an instrument. The cashier had played the clarinet when he was younger, but those were days he would rather not reminisce. He slid out from behind the counter, scanning the floor for something easy to pick up and mess with. Of course, during his time there, he'd played around with the instruments when there was a lack of customers, but he didn't even have a basic idea of what he was doing. The instrument that captured his attention most was a purple Epiphone bass that, when picked up, seemed to fit into his grasp perfectly. It was lightweight enough to the point that it didn't strain his arms after time, and seemed to rest against his body to no discomfort.

Maybe after saving up for a car, he'd take the thing home with him?

_Grace, you don't have time to learn an instrument_. How would the ability to play a guitar benefit him? There weren't a lot of opportunities for musicians that he could think of, but so many people picked up on playing, so there had to be some appeal. He stared down at the instrument, the shade of purple seeming almost electric in the fluorescent light.

Yeah, he saw the appeal. As he was reaching down to take the instrument into his hands, the sound of the bells tied to the door sounded, causing the boy to straighten up in his spot.

"Welcome to the Star-"

"Save it for the customers, Grace." The familiar sound of Percy Jackson's voice caused Jason's tense status to slip away, resulting in him fully facing his friend with a smirk.

"Jackson, I thought the words _I can't make it in work today_ meant just that," he responded before turning back to the instrument and pulling it off of its stand. Numbly running his fingers over the strings, he turned his attention back to Half-blood high's student body president as well as Jason's fellow coworker and comrade. "Why did you decide to show up ten minutes before the shop closes, anyways?"

"That's a nice instrument you're holding there, man," Percy said, completely ignoring Jason's question. He took a few steps towards Jason, his eyes focused on the bass in tow. His demeanor was focused and Jason wondered if he was processing his knowledge of the instrument based on its appearance, like some sort of weird musical robot. Jason had met Percy by coincidence, during the Summer, when he was invited to a beach party that consisted mostly of Half-Blood sophomores. The Jupiter high boy felt completely out of place as his friends socialized with their peers on and off, wondering if it would be smart to jump in on their conversations, but then decided otherwise. Percy noticed him off to the side and immediately threw himself into conversation with the guy, and despite the fact that it was a _little_ weird that Jackson was so similar to Jason, Jason liked the guy. He was friendly, obviously a natural born leader, and was passionate about his intentions and beliefs. Since then, they'd maintained a pretty upbeat friendship.

"Early 2000 model, definitely an Epiphone Thunderbird. Maple wood neck, edging close to... 30 inches, maybe longer; good for a man of your stature. Polished mahogany body, heavy duty yet light enough to carry around... The specs are incredible, you have great taste, I mean, if you like it," Percy said, now scanning Jason's face. "Yeah, you like it, I can tell. Ever played bass before?"

Jason blinked, only able to grasp some of the gibberish that poured out of his friend's mouth.

"No, never. I mean, if by played you're referring to randomly strumming the thing for twenty minutes, then sure, but otherwise, nope," Jason admitted. "So why are you here, again?"

"Oh, I just played a bit of hooky, is all. Had to come grab my keys since my folks are out."

"Percy Jackson ditching work for no reason? Wow, that's shocking."

"Not for no reason, I had somewhere to be," he smiled broadly and retrieved what appeared to be concert tickets.

"So the great PJ ditched work to stand in line for concert tickets. That's laughable."

"They're actually passes to Battle of the Bands. I told Annabeth I'd bring her, although it's obviously not her cup of tea, or coffee, or whatever she drinks." Percy shrugged and eyeballed the little slips of paper. "I don't feel too bad. She brought me to her science convention thing a few months back, told me it'd be fun. It was, but I had to get revenge. We're the powerhouse couple."

Annabeth was Percy's girlfriend, and although Jason had only met her enough times to count on one hand, just the mention of her mere existence made Percy glow. She was a smart girl, with curly blonde hair and watchful eyes, and from the moment Jason met her he knew her and Percy were a match made in heaven. Funny, him and Percy were even similar in the way that they pursued relationships with intelligent girls who could kick their asses.

"It feels right, doesn't it? Holding that instrument. I mean, you're cradling it like a baby. You have your heart set on it?" _Here we go again_, Jason thought.

"Yeah, it's a nice instrument, I just wish I had time to pick up on it right now, but I don't, nor do I have the proper fundings."

"I'm taking a wild guess that baby is marked up for at least four hundred," Percy calculated, stroking his chin. "That's not so bad considering some _Fenders_ run over a thousand. Would you play it if it was yours, Grace?"

The question hung heavy in the air. In the strange situation that Jason ever did own an expensive guitar, he would force himself to play, because

a.) he put the money down on the thing so it would be a waste to not play it

b.) chicks dig bad boys, but his reasoning would be leaning more towards a.

"Well, yeah, I guess I would,"

"Then it's yours."

Jason froze, nearly dropping the Epiphone on the ground. "Wait a second, did you just say '_it's yours_'?"

"Yup."

"Can you clarify what you mean by that?"

Percy just laughed and clapped his friend on the shoulder. Jason wasn't sure how he felt, but to sum it up in one word, perturbed would fit nicely. In an instant, Percy snatched the tag off of the bass, reading the price before quickly fishing his wallet out of his back pocket.

"So that's it, you're just buying me a..." Jason glanced at the tag and his heart almost leaped out of his throat. "Percy, that's nearly_ five hundred dollars_. I can't let you buy it for me."

"Listen, Grace. It's a wonderful thing to fall in love with an instrument, especially your first real instrument. The cool thing about making music is you can always come back to it, no matter how distracted you are and whatnot. I can tell by how perfectly it settles in your hold that you guys are perfect for each other. Kiss the bride?" Percy was now at the cash register, popping it open to throw in what must've been two months paychecks.

"You're missing the point, man! That's a lot of money! I know we're friends, but why would you do this just because I think a bass is a pretty color?"

"Listen, I have a car, I have my instruments, and I've been working here far longer than you have. I'm making more money, have saved up more money, and really, this won't affect me in the long run. Take it with grace and play your little heart out. My treat."

Jason was still laden with shock, unsure how to properly react to Percy's act of kindness. He didn't want to accept such an expensive gift from someone he'd only know for a short period of time, but Percy was leaving him with not choice. He insisted that Jason take the bass home.

"I don't know what to say... Thanks, man. I just_ really_ hope I can find the time to learn it. I think I'll feel guilty forever if it just sits in my room forever. Seriously, though, thank you, I mean it. I'm going to get you back as soon as I can think of a way." And have the money. Yeah, that was a small factor.

"Oh, I have an idea, no cost to you besides your time," Percy replied, his tone devious. Jason raised an eyebrow before walking to the front of the store and flicking off the "open" light.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Start a band with me," Percy blurted, and Jason knew that by accepting the guitar he had signed his soul to the devil. How hadn't he seen this coming?

"A band?" Jason acted surprised, but all along he'd subconsciously assumed there'd be a catch.

"Yeah! It won't be sitting in your closet if you have an extensive reason to play it, right?"

"True, but..." Jason's voice wandered, and a slight sadness washed over Percy's face.

"You're pretty busy, right. I know how it feels, Jason, to have people constantly expecting things from you, but you're a teenager. You deserve to explore and try new things just like everyone else. Lay off the responsibility, sometime. It feels good." Percy retrieved his keys, guilt now pumping through every vein in Jason's body. As he edged towards the front of the shop, he turned once again towards the blonde.

"Need help closing up? I don't mind, just don't let Jim know I was here."

Jason shook his head and waved him off. "Nah, man, go on ahead, I've got this. Thank you, again."

"Don't mention it. Really, don't tell the boss and we're good," Percy shot him a wink and pushed open the door, but before he stepped out into the night, he turned his head to the side, his foot keeping the door from slamming into him.

"If you change your mind, though, you know how to reach me."

Jason found himself alone in the shop, and as he leaned the guitar down against the wall, he couldn't help but feel impending guilt in his chest.

_God damn it, Jackson. Such a sneak, _Jason thought. _He knows perfectly well that he's lured me into a trap._


	2. Ain't No Rest for the Wicked

_Twang, twang, twerm!_

Jason grimaced and frustratedly re-positioned the guitar against his torso. How long had he even been playing? It felt like hours, but in reality, was probably edging closer to thirty minutes. It was past 9 o'clock, but luckily, his bedroom was located on the side of the house opposite of his dad's, so as long as he wasn't hooking the thing up to a ramp and throwing a concert in his room, the noise was hardly a concern.

Mentally preparing himself to actually sit down and practice the instrument was another factor. It had been two weeks since he'd accepted the gift from Percy, and as suspected, it resided in his closet, collecting dust and burdening him with a guilty mind. It's not like it was by choice; Jason had other priorities to attend to in the first place, such as school, clubs, and friends. After _days and days_ of being urged on by Percy at work, Jason finally decided he'd set aside time to sit down and pick up on the bass, only to prove that it was more of a challenge to learn than he'd initially hoped.

As he readied himself for more practice, his session was plagued by interruption as his phone began to vibrate atop his nightstand. Without even setting the instrument down, Jason leaped across his room and snatched his cell phone off the table, quickly checking the caller ID before thumbing _answer_.

"'Ello?"

"Bay-_beee_," Piper responded in a mocking yet affectionate tone. "I'm surprised you answered, actually. Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"_Ha ha_," Jason coined. "Very funny."

"Something tells me you didn't _actually_ think that was funny..."

"Sorry, I think you m might actually be right about it being past my bedtime. I'm extra grumpy tonight. Agh, it's been an altogether crappy day, I guess... Oh, snap, sorry,- again- did you need something?"

Piper snorted on the other end.

"Yeah, I can tell you're tired. I just wanted to remind you about my mom's birthday on Friday," she paused. "Can you still make it, or...?"

"Definitely, I wouldn't forget-" Jason nearly froze before he was able to finish his sentence. "Wait, that's _tomorrow_. Shit, shit, shit! I told Percy I'd-"

This time, he froze mid-sentence, momentarily submerging the call in heavy silence.

"Uh, if something's come up, it's fine by me-"

"No, I'll totally be there! I just need to sort a few things out, but you can count on me. I'll remind Sadie to whip up the bruschetta in the morning. Just, uh, hang tight, okay?"

"What did you plan with Percy?"

More silence.

Jason scratched his ear awkwardly, not completely sure how to break the ice.

"...Band practice?"

A girly guffaw sounded from Piper's end, followed by a squeal of excitement.

"A band?! When did this happen? Jason, this is seriously cool! I didn't even know you _could play_ an instrument!"

"That's the thing," Jason smirked against the phone, "I don't yet."

"I'm sensing some miscommunication here. You joined a band..."

"Yup-"

"Yet you don't play an instrument?"

Jason blinked, wondering where exactly she was taking things.

"Uh, yeah. I thought I said that..."

"So you joined a band because you _look good_ then, right?"

Jason wasn't exactly sure how to answer his girlfriend. Why would Percy ask him to join a band because of how he looked? Then again, a sense of closure washed over the blond, as if a question that had been nagging at him was suddenly answered. Oh, r_iii_ght. Someone could have slapped him in the face and screamed that truth at him, but Jason would've still been oblivious if it weren't for Piper.

_Why did Percy ask me to be in his band? Because I look the part, or am **capable** of looking the part._

"Pipes, you're the smartest person in the whole wide world."

"You know it."

"I'm kissing you _so_ hard tomorrow."

"Ugh, shut up, lover boy. Go finish your homework or something," Piper played, a smile evident in her voice.

_3:37 AM_

_Pretty girls, **my** pretty girlfriend, brownies, weird band guys who force you to learn guitar, bad vibes... Bad... Vibrations? No, literal vibrations. Something's vibrating-_

With a groan, Jason blindly patted his bed, his fingers desperate to silence the annoying sensation that had pulled him from his slumber. His fingers wrapped around his phone, and the screen lit up with none other than Percy Jackson's ID photo; a seahorse with angry cartoon eyebrows drawn on. Was it worth precious sleep to talk to him? Probably not. Then again...

"Do you know what time it is?" Jason slurred sourly into his phone.

"Jeez, chill, I just barely got ahold of the guy playing keyboard with us tomorrow!"

"This couldn't have waited till morning?"

Percy burst into a small fit of laughter on the other end.

"Jackson, are you high?"

"No, I also wanted to ask if you've seeked out any drummers," Percy responded, as if that was a valid reason to disrupt Jason's beauty sleep.

"Nnnngh," Jason groaned into his pillow.

"Grace, you know how hot it gets me when you moan like a moose into your blanky..."

"Want me to ask Leo in the morning?" Jason asked more abruptly than expected, hoping to get the point across to his new-found bandmate.

"...Isn't he your best friend? You have a best friend who knows how to play the drums and you didn't consider this _days_ earlier?"

"I'm new to all of this, okay? I didn't put much thought to it until-"

"This phone call?"

"Dude, I'll text Leo in the morning. He'd probably kill me if I woke him up at this hour for _that_."

"Anything else I should know?"

Jason rubbed his eyes, tempted to hang up and turn his phone off to avoid the bugger that was Percy Jackson.

"I'm catering my girlfriend's mom's birthday tomorrow, so I won't be able to stay long."

A wailing noise could be heard from the line, probably loud and grueling enough to disturb Jason's household more than his wretched attempt at bass.

"You're definitely high as balls, man. See you on the morrow."

_Beep._

"Seriously, guys, focus. _Winter Fling_ is in **two** weeks, and the drama and dance department are overflowing with students! Not to mention we're incorporating the art exhibit in this year, so there'll be twice as many parents stuffed into the theater," Reyna proclaimed as she rubbed her temples, clearly the only leader in the Jupiter high council focused on the upcoming events.

Frank scratched his chin, watching the other members and awaiting their reactions before putting his own ideas forward. He kept glancing down at the time on his phone, obviously eager to be elsewhere.

"Reyna, all this stress can be avoided if we can all just agree on my idea to separate the fling into two separate events, one next-next Friday and the other on the following Friday!" Octavian snapped, clearly annoyed, as per usual.

"The _Winter Fling _has never been a "two part" event, and frankly, we're not breaking that tradition, especially considering that will put stress on the drama department. They won't be able to use the theater for an entire week. We'll be held responsible for the idiots who decide to book it off campus, and trust me, there are idiots in that class who will ditch campus if they're going to be stuck in the north-wing hall for an entire week!"

"Oh, boo-hoo! Lock them in a spare classroom, or a closet, for all I care! There's no way we're fitting hundreds of parents in that theater at once, not in a domestic matter, at least," Octavian sneered. Him and Reyna shared a hateful stare, causing Frank to uncomfortably text on his phone while things blew up.

Jason sat idle in his seat, eyeballing the two quarreling teens. Although Octavian was being obnoxious (also as per usual), the guy had a pretty decent point. Sure, Jupiter high was all about tradition, but with the huge amount of students enrolled, it wasn't a completely unreasonable idea to separate the event into two parts. There were spare rooms the drama kids could stay in during the week...

"Hey, maybe Octavian's right," Jason finally interrupted.

All council members turned to look at him, and when he met eyes with Reyna, a familiar spark of betrayal was evident in her eyes. Tradition meant a lot to her- to the whole school- but sometimes it just wasn't efficient.

"...Well, unless we expand our horizons. What if the event is prolonged... Started at an earlier time, and we set up different venue areas for the different departments? Drama and dance in the theater during separate time slots, art and whatever else comes along in the cafeteria? There can be intervals, and everybody can just... Switch off."

Everybody's faces filled with consideration, besides Octavian, who merely snorted loudly.

"We'd have to get permission to use the freaking cafeteria, and we all know how long it takes for the school to get back to us on these things! Come on, is that-"

"Actually, Jason's idea isn't at all bad. I can go to the Principal and get approval almost immediately, if it means keeping the fling to a one night experience," Reyna cut in, earning a death glare from Octavian.

"I was thinking along those lines, too," Frank finally spoke. "We can start the event, at, say, five o'clock, instead of seven, and run it until midnight. It'll be a Friday, the first day of winter break as well, so there won't be much of an argument there. I'll go with you to talk to the principal, Reyna. It's probably the best idea yet."

The council members' faces filled with relief as Reyna tapped her gavel against the stone block in front of her, signifying the closure of discussion.

"Jupiter High student council is dismissed, on that note."

Fellow members began to pile out as the leaders collected their notes and belongings, and Octavian could be heard in the distance, undoubtedly trash-talking Jason and probably going on about how nobody ever listens to him. Jason stood, quick to collect his things, and hightailed for the door.

"Jason."

He froze in place at the sound of Reyna's voice, and quickly turned to face her. She slowly approached him, as if not to startle the boy. She had grown more mature since the time they had stopped dating, not only physically but also in the way she carried herself. Reyna had the aura of an adult, a leader, clearly someone aware of what's going on around her. Her hair had grown longer, her features sharper, and she stood with the confidence of a ruler. Jason always liked to think she'd end up as president, or something along those lines.

"Thanks for putting that out there; it really is a smart idea," she praised, her demeanor calm. Jason's eyes flitted to Frank, who was pretending not to watch them, but was obviously eavesdropping.

"Hey, you would've figured it out. Can't let Octavian take control of things. That would be like... _Octavian taking control of things_," he joked, earning a smile from his former girlfriend. Suddenly, her disposition changed, and something nostalgic washed over her face. _Uh oh._

"I miss you," she confessed, lightly enough as to _apparently_ not alert Frank of her words.

Jason shifted his weight uncomfortably and re-positioned the strap to his guitar case, which was flung over his shoulder. Reyna's eyes danced over the strap, and now curiosity flooded her features. She opened her mouth to speak, only to have Jason to beat her to it.

"You know... _I'm with Piper_, Reyna."

Suddenly, the curiosity and nostalgia disappeared, and was instead replaced with bitter anger.

"Is that seriously _**all **_you think of me? As your bitter ex who's just begging for another chance, Jason? Why can't I just miss your presence; your friendship? Why do you avoid me like the plague, and act like I'm some sick puppy who intends to make you feel bad for what's in the past? Isn't there such thing as platonic liaison after break ups, or is that just _another_ responsibility for you?"

Jason was completely frozen, his mouth agape. _That escalated quickly._

"Reyna, I-"

"Save it. You know, I'm happy whatever ties we had are broken, then. Sorry for "coming on" to you, or for letting you know I miss you, but I really don't regret ending things. I guess it's better we stay strangers," she teethed, before swiveling around the shocked youth and prying open the door.

"I gotta lock up the classroom, boys."

Frank locked eyes with Jason, his eyes wide in shock. He mouthed, '_What just happened?_' to his acquaintance, only to result in Jason dropping his gaze in shame. Once they were all out of the room, Fran waved Jason off and began to quickly make his way towards the school's main office, Reyna following slowly behind.

"Reyna," Jason insecurely called to her.

She turned to look at him, not stopping, but merely slowing her pace.

"I'm really sorry."

"Yeah, well, I feel sorry for _you_. Don't forget to bring the gross testing stats on Monday, okay?"

With that, she quickened her pace to catch up with Frank, and Jason nearly slammed his head into the wall for being an idiot.

"Band practice at work?" Leo ran his hand through his curls as he followed Jason through the busy New York streets, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as the midday sun shone down on them.

"Actually, Percy's just hooking us up with drums, and then we're heading out to some unknown location where he'll likely tell us this is just a big joke and then continue on to drug us and kill us."

"That's reassuring," Leo huffed as he wiped at his hairline. "But, seriously. He had to buy you the guitar, and something tell's me he can't afford to throw down on drums, so how exactly are we acquiring a set of expensive bad boys?"

"Maybe he's selling his body on the corner as we speak, I don't know," Jason grumbled as they approached the block _The Starving Musician_ was located on. "He just has his heart set on starting this band, so without a doubt, he'll find a way to get the things."

As the two got closer to the shop, Percy's pickup truck could be seen parked in front of the shop, and none other than Percy Jackson was hoisting what appeared to be the last part of a drum set into the back carry area. Once he finally got the thing hoisted up, a loud _clash!_ could be heard, followed by a shout of surprise as two drum barrels bounced onto the pavement and rolled away.

"A little help!"

Leo and Jason immediately broke into a sprint, quick to grab the runaway drums and hoist them back into the carry area. The boys panted harshly, both now covered in sweat, as Percy closed the panel and tied the set down. He let out a breath of relief and leaped down onto the pavement, fanning his face with his hand.

"Thanks, guys, those things are heavier than expected. Plus, nothing better than watching two teenagers frantically chase drums down the street," Percy quipped, before reaching his hand out to Leo, who immediately took it.

"I believe we've met before... But, not like, officially met. Leo, right?"

"The man, the legend, the... Latino."

"I'm Percy. I'm sure you've had the joy of listening to Jason complain off the bat about me."

"Ah, yes, complaining is an art Jay-boy here has mastered."

Jason rolled his eyes, but was clearly happy the boys were bonding. Maybe this band was a good idea after all. As the boys slowly made their way into the car, though, Jason nearly put a pedal to things.

"Whoa, hold up, Leo, I call shotgun."

"No way, man! First come, first serve. You get to be the backseat driver."

"But that's not fair, I'm taller than you!"

Percy looked at the two, unimpressed, and shut his door.

"Scrunch up in a little ball, then!"

Jason nearly pulled Leo out of the seat and threw him to the curb, but decided against it. He pursed his lips at his best friend, aware that he was pulling this just for the sake of getting under Jason's skin, and crawled into the back seat.

"You heard Leo, Jason. Curl up in a ball..."

"I'm fine, actually," Jason retorted, his legs clearly cramped against the back of the seat. "I just don't understand how it's possible for a truck that's this big to be so small inside. Are those clown cars at the circus, like, the reverse of this?"

"I think you're just a giant, man," Leo responded.

"Don't worry, if you're lonely, you'll have company soon," Percy winked into the rear-view mirror, earning an eyebrow raise from Jason. Oh, right, they still has to pick up the keyboardist.

"Are you sure this guy is gonna fit back here with me? We can strap him to the roof..."

"He's remarkably smaller than you, to say the least."

"All this crap went down in student council? Jeez, I would've joined Half Blood High's if I knew it's that much fun," Percy said, his elbow propped up on the driving wheel as he tapped his chin. Leo squinted out the window, the sun sitting lower in the sky, indicating it was nearing nighttime.

"It's not fun, not at all, and I'm pretty sure Reyna has a death wish for me now."

"Oh, come on, I doubt she wants you dead for something as stupid as that. She probably just thinks you have literal jello for brains. Let's face it, all teenage guys are dirtbags," Percy admitted, earning an approving nod from Leo.

"Yup. See, you were a dirtbag without even trying. It's natural instinct for us to jump to conclusions and mess up everything!" Leo added enthusiastically, before slamming his arm against the window sill. "Okay, where is this guy, and why is he taking ten years to get in the freaking car?"

"His name's Nico and I don't know anything except that he has no perception of time, so I had a feeling this would happen."

Jason glanced at the time on his phone.

6:30 PM.

Piper's mom's birthday was at 8, and at this point, the group would probably only have twenty minutes to actually practice considering they still had to get to their destination and set up. Jason stayed quiet, not wanting to make Percy feel rushed, when the door opposite of him was yanked open. A wave of hot air poured into the air conditioned car, causing Leo to twitch in discomfort. Suddenly, a keyboard was shoved into Jason, who nearly shoved the thing back out, but instead re-propped the thing into a more comfortable fixation. Following this, in crawled a skinny boy, who, as Percy mentioned, was relatively shorter and skinnier than Jason.

"Hey, sorry that took so long. I had some, uh, ordeals to attend to," spoke Nico in a smooth tone; not the high-pitched-barely-past-puberty squeak that Jason had expected. The two locked eyes for a moment, Jason clearly unmoved. For some reason, he had expected a strange character, but this kid was all too... normal? Probably verging on goth, but normal.

"Nico, my man! It's all good. Up here's Leo and your backseat buddy there is Jason. You ready to burst out some sick tunes?"

"More than I'll ever be," Nico laughed, clearly nervous. He was obviously younger, even if just by a small shot, so it was respectable. Jason turned to the boy, immediately gaining his attention.

"Sorry for the cramped space, by the way. Cursed with being a mobile tree trunk, here," Jason apologized and pointed to his legs for emphasis.

"Well, then, I guess it's a good thing I'm _not_ one," Nico played in response, earning a smile from the older blond.

"Short team for the win!" Leo fist pumped in the front seat, and with that, they were on the road once more.

"Uh, where exactly are we, Percy?" Nico was leaning over the front seat as to speak directly to him. Percy glanced around skeptically, and turned down a rural road, only to nearly step on the breaks.

"Wait, this isn't right. I followed the directions to the q, but I have _no idea _where we are," Percy said, scratching his skelp.

"Jason warned me you were going to kill us. This is wonderful," Leo complained, desperately looking around, as if he would somehow figure out where they were supposed to go.

The sky was growing dark at that point, and as far as Jason's knowledge went, they were past the outskirts of the city. Piper lived in the heart of it. Part of him itched to say something, or to apologize and tell Percy they could get together later because he had to leave, but another part of him didn't want to soil the night for them. Nico still leaned against the seat, staring out into the scenary as it fell to the shadows. Jason's phone buzzed and he quickly checked his messages.

_**Piper, 7:15 PM**_

_Hey, what time do you think you'll be here? You can come a little late if you need, we have a lot more food than expected, but I just want you here._

Another idea popped into Jason's head.

"Um... Percy, we might not find this place. Is there anywhere back in the suburbs we can practice? Just for tonight?"

"Well, I guess we can find somewhere-"

_BGGGGGGRRRRrrrrrr..._

The entire car went still, and the boys fell completely silent.

"Percy?"

"Uh, yeah, Nico?"

"You forgot to fill up your tank before we came out here, didn't you."

"...Surprisingly, no."

"Then what just happened?"

"I'll tell you what's happening," Leo interjected. "The serial killer is going to appear in, like, ten seconds, unless we send someone out to 'look for help'. Now, it ain't going to be me, but-"

"This is going to be a long night," Jason sighed.


	3. Happy Ending

After another half hour had passed, the sky had practically grown completely dark, and the only light inside the vehicle came from the LED lining wrapped around the car's radio. It shone with a light blue light, which barely illuminated the interior of the vehicle with a dull blanket of fluorescent blue. While Percy stressed to his parents over the phone, the rest of the group waited eagerly, occupying their time through other means. Leo kept glancing back at Jason, who could only barely make out his sarcastic facial expressions because of how little of his face was silhouetted in the darkness. He would shoot Jason orney smirks, or looks of hopelessness, as Leo listened in to Percy's conversation. Leo had also been invited to Piper's mother's party, but wasn't morally obliged to go considering he wasn't dating Piper. Not that Jason was obligated to go, either, but breaking his promise to Piper hardly seemed like an option considering he had planned to go far before he was asked to play bass for the band.

Suddenly, Percy popped open his door, his cell phone still glued to his ear, and he shuffled to the front of his truck. A popping noise suggested he had unlocked the hood, and soon, the frontal view the boys had grown used to in the past thirty minutes was obstructed by the glossy bonnet of the vehicle. Immediately, Leo turned to look at the two silent boys in the backseat, who stared right back at him.

"Well this has been fun," Leo jested as more technical noises poured from the front of the car.

"Piper's mom's party started a few minutes ago, and I have no idea where we are," Jason immediately complained. "I can't even find a ride to get me there; my dad's not checking his phone, I can't pull Piper's mom from the party, and nobody else I know drives!"

"Relax, it's not like it's Piper's birthday. She'll understand," Leo comforted, earning a look of disapproval from his closest friend. "It's true! Do you really think she'll be upset with you because some seaweed brain's car broke down?"

"I can hear you, you know!" Percy yelled, and Leo chuckled.

"Just as planned."

Nico stirred beside Jason, causing the taller boy to glance at him. He'd kept to himself throughout most of the situation, awkwardly texting on his phone occasionally, but he mostly just stared out the window and listened to the others.

"At least this happened on a Friday. The last thing I need is to get lectured for staying out late on a week night," Nico finally added to the conversation.

"What grade are you in, Nico?" Leo asked awkwardly, even for him. The question stayed in the air for a moment, and Jason wondered if Nico was scared they would hold a bias against him for being younger.

"I'm a sophomore, but I'm being home schooled right now. I used to go to school with Percy," Nico responded flatly.

"Hey, I go to school with him right now! Not that I ever talk to him or really see him," Leo said, trying to start up a conversation only to have it end at that. The mysterious boy went back to texting on his phone, and Leo slowly turned away from the two, obviously discouraged.

"Did, uh, Percy ever mention how he got the drums?" Jason asked, desperate not to sit in silence with his anxiety working up as it was. With that, Percy popped his head back in the car, staring at Jason with guilty eyes.

"I borrowed them from work, just for tonight," he answered all too quickly. Jason's eyes nearly bulged out of his head at his confession.

"Dude, that's stealing!" Jason barked, causing Leo and Nico to tense.

"No, not really. This set is, like, haunted or something. It came back like two times, and from that point on, they've sat in the back room. I heard one of it's previous owners died and didn't even have enough money left in his bank account to pay them off, so..."

"You borrowed a haunted drum set and now all this crazy shit is happening to us? I almost played those things! We're gonna die!" Leo whined loudly, as if the mystery as to why they were having bad luck was suddenly solved.

"Now's not exactly a good time to let superstition get the best of you," Nico countered, his arms now crossed in annoyance. "Percy, what did your parents say? Do we need to get a cab?"

Percy shrugged in response, the initial shock obviously wearing off.

"My dad said we're probably low on oil. I told him where we're at, but my GPS wasn't picking up our exact location, so he might be a while."

Sunday came around quicker than expected, and Jason finally got in contact with Piper. After calling her phone for what seemed the hundredth time, she picked up. Jason immediately began his apology speech.

"Piper, I'm _so_ sorry for missing your mom's party. I didn't mean to get caught up, it's just, Percy's car kind of broke down in the middle of nowhere and we had to wait for his dad to bring oil. We didn't even get a chance to play-"

"It's fine, Jason. I'm not upset," Piper interfered.

"Then why haven't you been taking my calls?" Jason asked eagerly, relieved that she wasn't mad. Not that he really expected her to be mad; Piper was an extremely understanding person. But the fact that it looked like he bailed for band practice...

"I've just been thinking. You know I don't check my phone too often," she replied. "Do you want to do something, today? We can go somewhere. You can serenade me with your new guitar skills to make up for this."

Jason smiled, looking over to his bass, which he had honestly been playing more in the past day.

"Well, I might murder your ears, but how can I say no to such a compelling girl?"

_A few hours later..._

They had decided on having a picnic at a nearby park. Jason had insisted on breaking the food and necessities, only to have Piper hound him on how stupidly romantic he was being. Of course, Jason was sure to throw his guitar over his shoulder for humorous reasons. She asked to be serenaded, so hell yeah, he was going to serenade her. Even if she'd regret it the second he tried. The couple met up halfway and walked through the streets hand-in-hand, the basket in Jason's tow.

"I can't believe his car broke down before you even got to the place you were supposed to practice at," Piper laughed as they approached the front of the Park. Jason held her hand tighter, laughing along with her.

"Yeah, we were having pretty bad luck. Apparently Percy borrowed us a pair of haunted drums, which were in the carrying area of his truck. Leo wouldn't stop talking about how he'd damned us, and all that crazy-Leo stuff."

The two found an open area to lay down the picnic blanket Jason had found when raiding his dad's closet. The two sat down, the sun already beating down on their skin. The weather had definitely been weird. Despite the fact that Christmas was in a week, the days had been hotter than ever, yet somehow, the nights were the complete opposite. Most of the time, it would have been snowing in New York, at that point in the year.

"My mom's party was interesting. I was really the only teenager. Plus, you know how much she likes you... and your step-mom's bruschetta."

"Yeah, I'll make up for it. Her Christmas present will be a giant case of the stuff. I'm honestly sick of it," Jason commented as he began to chomp on a bread roll. Piper reached into the basket, only to produce a tube of yogurt. She snapped off the end and began to suck out it's contents, causing Jason to raise an eyebrow and grin in an amused manner. Piper's cheeks immediately burned red when she noticed how Jason was watching her, and lowered the yogurt from her lips.

"Oh, grow up, you perv. Can't I enjoy your yogurt in peace?" once the words came out of her mouth, she looked like she was ready to slap herself, and Jason almost completely lost control and began snickering.

"Yeah, _enjoy my yogurt_ in peace. I'll play you some of my sick tunes while you do so."

With that, Jason set the remains of his bread aside and pulled his bass from it's case, and Piper eyeballed the instrument appreciatively.

"I recognize it from the shop," she pointed out. Jason nodded, caressing the neck of the guitar in a protective manner. He'd barely played the thing yet he had already grown attached to it, not only because of how pretty it was, but because the sound it produced was _music to his ears_. The strings rolled out perfect chords, and strutting it felt all too natural. Even if Jason sucked at it, he now had confidence that he could at least decently pick up on it.

He began to slowly, and choppily, play a familiar tune. Piper nearly choked on her yogurt as Jason performed an American classic.

"Are you... _Are you playing Mary Had a Little Lamb_?

"Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb," Jason began, his singing surprisingly in sink with the tune, but completely off key. Piper bit her cheek, a look of pain evident across her face.

"Oh, dear god, please don't add vocals-"

"Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb!" Jason continued louder, "Who's fleece was white as..."

Jason twitched his fingers against the strings dramatically, bursting out a sound that couldn't even be considered amateur, before finishing.

"_Snooow_."

"Are you done?" Piper fluttered her eyelashes at him before finishing her yogurt.

"Well, yeah. That's all I know..."

"All the great songs in the world, and you picked _Mary Had a Little Lamb_?"

Now Jason was the one blushing.

"All I have to learn from right now is a kid's beginners guide to bass..."

Before Piper could comment, Frank and Hazel appeared beside the blanket, but panting in the heat.

"Water... Need... Water..." Frank breathed, causing Piper to quickly reach into the basket and pull a bottle out for the couple to share. Between the two, the whole bottle was downed, and the freshly hydrated teenagers began to look themselves again.

"Thanks, guys. I spotted you from across the park and decided we'd be better off stealing your bottled water than drinking that sewage from the fountain," Hazel shivered, pointing in the direction they'd come from. _Funny_, Jason thought. He hadn't noticed either of them the entire time they'd been sitting there. Maybe him and Piper were too far under their little love spell to notice their presence.

"It's no problem, Hazel. It's nice seeing you two out. Care to join us for a picnic?" Piper asked, causing Jason to immediately drop his gaze to the picnic basket. Old, made of splintering wood, but somehow more compelling than meeting Frank's gaze.

_Please don't bring up Reyna. Please don't bring up Reyna. Frank, I've never done anything bad to you, just please somehow pick up these signals and **don't bring up Reyna**. _

"Jay, what was this Reyna on Friday?" Franked asked curiously, and suddenly Piper's eyes were locked on Jason, who bit his tongue and now had the taste of blood fresh in his mouth. "I saw her walk up to you and just wanted to make sure everything is okay between my fellow council members."

"It was, uh, nothing, just a little misunderstanding," Jason blurted quickly, hoping the subject would be dropped. He was perfectly aware that he responded inappropriately, and that he was wrong to assume Reyna was only talking to him because she stilled liked him, but Jason would rather not come to terms with this in front of his _current girlfriend_. He, of course, planned on sorting things out with Reyna sooner than later, but wondered if she would even talk to him at that point, or just wave him off as another immature school boy, blinded by his own ego. Hey, that assumption was pretty accurate, but Jason wanted to clear things up, to let her know that he felt completely wrong for reacting like he had. Was it worth it? Would things go back to normal, with them only interacting during student council? With Jason hiding as to ignore the stigma of dishonor he carried on his shoulders? Honestly, Jason knew the only reason the two couldn't be friends again was all because he couldn't digest the fact that he made someone- who didn't deserve to- feel awful about themselves. He had led her on to believe their break up was her fault, even if unintentionally.

"Oh, okay, because she seemed kind of distraught in the office. Totally out of it, kept saying something about teenage boys having brains the size of a lima bean. I pointed out that _I'm_ a boy, only to have her stare at me with a look that could kill. Yikes," Frank helped himself to one of the rolls of bread in the basket, not even noticing that Jason had practically stopped breathing and was now looking at him with a look probably similar to Reyna's.

"Oh, you leader types can never get along, can you?" Hazel followed, respecting her friends and not digging through the basket like Frank was currently doing. Piper's eyes didn't leave Jason, her mouth twisted in distrust. Although she was now tense, she didn't say anything, just kept watching Jason, who couldn't even meet her eyes for more than a few seconds.

"Ooh, that's such a nice guitar, Jason!" Hazel finally exclaimed, bringing the awkward tension on her and Frank's behalf. "Nico told me he saw it when he was in the car with you; said it was a beautiful instrument that Percy just _gave_ to you. Jackson can be such a sweetheart."

Jason's head immediately shot up, and he looked at Hazel, confused.

"You know Nico?"

"Well, he _is_ my step-brother..."

This completely caught Jason off guard.

"Huh. Small world. Would've never connected the dots that _you two_ would be related. He's... quiet?"

"HA! I can't get that boy to shut up half the time! Must be sibling instinct... He _is _pretty quiet around strangers," Hazel suggested before sliding her hand into Frank's lap, who was flicking the bread crumbs off his fingers now. Although Jason enjoyed Frank and Hazel's presence, he couldn't help but wonder, _what are the odds that they were at the same exact park- in all of New York- at the same time as me and Piper?_ He figured "luck" just liked to come bite him in the ass at the best of times. After all, it's not a picnic until your friends appear out of the blue, bring up your recent confrontation with your ex, and make things awkward between you and your girlfriend.

"Hey, are you guy's going to the Stoll brother's party on Christmas Eve?" Hazel asked, pulling Jason from his thoughts.

"I was actually thinking about it. That is, if my date is available this time," Piper stated, her words seeming subconsciously constrained. "Or should I say 'dates'? I'm pretty sure Leo's going."

"Aren't they, like, known for getting everybody on their faces less than an hour into their parties?" Jason asked, looking around the group for an answer. Frank scrunched up his nose, obviously taking that into consideration.

"You don't think they'd spike the punch bowl on Christmas Eve, do you?" Hazel asked in a somewhat whisper, clearly worried now.

"Yeah," Piper and Jason replied in sync. Jason looked at Piper, who now wouldn't meet his eyes. Wait, _what_?

"You plan at drinking at the party? Like, _on purpose?_" Jason grilled her protectively.

"I don't plan on it, but if it happens... Jason, I'm going to be 16. You've drank before, so what's wrong with me trying it? Just this once? Plus, if you're there, what will _really_ happen? Nothing!"

Despite the fact that Piper had a good point about him drinking in the past, he didn't like the idea of _her _drinking. Sure, him and Leo broke into his dad's liquor cabinet when they were thirteen, but look how great _that_ turned out, with them ending up just making out for half of the night. They were at a detrimental age, and she would obviously try it eventually, but it just seemed strange to him to hear Piper even bring up alcohol in such a neutral light. Plus, Connor had previously had a crush on Piper, and Jason wasn't comfortable with Piper being alone with him and his manipulative ways. Not that Jason didn't trust them, but if the two had on beer goggles, well...

"Fine, I'm in. Not really my scene, but hell, it's school break. Why not?"

Jason trudged with Piper towards her apartment complex, both of them empty of conversation due to how much talking they'd done with Frank and Hazel. Still, something was bugging Piper, and Jason suspected what it was.

"What happened between you and Reyna at school?" she finally asked as Jason poked at a cross-button. They stood, waiting for the sign to give them the signal to continue across the crosswalk. Jason sighed, knowing he had to be honest with her.

"Reyna came up to me to tell me she misses me and I... kind of reacted completely wrong. She got angry with me," Jason finally admitted, turning to look into Piper's eyes. "I thought she was coming on to me, for some idiotic reason, and reminded her that I'm with you. It just made things really awkward, because she just meant it as a friend, and she then continued to act like I meant it in a _'wow you're pathetic'_ way. I deserved that, really. I promise there's nothing more going on between us, but I just _need_ to make things right with her, eventually"

"You hurt her, Jason. She cared about you, and you disrupted that by suddenly messing around with other girls. You don't deserve to feel bad for leaving her, because if it wasn't there,_ it wasn't there_ and that's that, but you do have to be gentle with her feelings," Piper touched Jason's shoulder as they walked across the street, the distrusting vibes melting away. Jason nodded, and once they were back on the sidewalk, he stopped, grabbing Piper's hand to break her pace. She turned to her boyfriend, confused, only to be met with Jason's ravenous lips. He allowed his fingers to caress her cheek while his other hand found its way to the back of her head as Piper stood up on her tiptoes to respond to Jason's sudden act of affection. When the two parted, they panted a little heavier, both of their faces blooming with color.

"I absolutely adore you, Piper McLean," Jason reassured as he leaned into her face, intruding her (what most people consider) personal space, though it hardly mattered between them. For some Reason, Piper looked wistful instead of lustful, as if that wasn't the response she expected to hear. Suddenly, a car parked beside them, and her eyes widened in disbelief. Jason snapped his head to the side, only to be met by Percy Jackson's gaze. He waved at the couple and rolled down the front windows.

"You two look hot. Need a ride?"

Jason looked to Piper, who shrugged and nodded. Jason pulled open the back door for his lady, allowing her to crawl in before following closely behind. Once inside and buckled up, Percy began to drive again.

"Piper, nice to see you outside of anatomy! How've you been?" Percy immediately sparked up conversation with Jason's girlfriend, and Jason wondered how they'd come to have the luxury of running into yet _another_ friend. The two classmates blabbed for a while, Jason tiredly staring out the window, until he was summoned into the conversation, and suddenly the Jupiter high student was on high alert.

"Jason, I didn't know you were the romantic type," Percy teased. "Picnics? Serenading your girlfriend? Kissing her on the street corner? Way to go man. Nice to have a friend who understands why I'm so sappy I am with Annabeth."

"Well, that's just how things are when you're _in love_," Jason announced overly-enthusiastically. He smiled at Piper, who simply studied him, her eyes skitting around his face. She had been doing that a lot, lately, but Jason pushed it out of his mind, thinking he was probably just being overhung by noticing something so small. Piper was good at reading people, and tended to judge people based on body language, which was somehow unnerving for those who observed her behavior. Luckily, the conversation took another turn, and Piper's attention was now on Percy.

"So, where exactly am I taking you guys?" Percy questioned.

"My apartment. Just keep driving straight, it's a mile up," Piper answered as she slid her hand over Jason's. Jason stroked her hand with his thumb, before he felt her hand twitch and experimentally slide from his hand- dully laying on his outer thigh- towards the inner part of his thigh and then almost to his knee. Jason bit his lip, and then the paranoid part of him peered into the mirrors to make sure Percy couldn't see the little motion. For the most part, Jason could only see him and Piper's faces, otherwise Percy just wasn't saying anything. Jason's eyes widen furthermore when he felt his girlfriend tracing designs with the tip of her finger into his leg, resulting in him clearing his throat loudly, gaining Percy's attention. Piper eased her hand off of his leg before Percy could pick up on what was happening.

"Hey, Jason, are you free for the rest of the day?"

Once again, the question shouldn't have been as surprising as it was. Was Jason really this oblivious? Sure, Percy was a generally nice person, but Jason suspected that he had other plans from the second Jason had crawled into the car.

"Band practice?" Jason replied in a split-second.

"Er, we didn't exactly get to the other night. We can see if the other guys are busy... You can even come if you want, Piper."

"I'd love too," Piper smiled, and looked at Jason with an evil glint in her eyes. She was so going to blackmail him later, not only because he was ten times worse at his instrument than everyone else, but because she'd get to hear all the weird gossip the boys talked about, including information pertaining him.

"Alright, cool, Jason?"

"I'm already on it," he mumbled as he dialed Leo.

_Christmas Eve_

The band had finally launched, and the teens practiced together for a record breaking two days during the previous week. Both sessions were considerably short lived, and mostly consisted of the boys arguing over the basis of the band, but things were finally playing out, which was all that really mattered. To Jason's avail, he was correct about him being the worst at playing his instrument. Not only did he have to confess to only knowing Mary Had a Little Lamb, but he was forced to watch the rest of the boys play their hearts out on their instruments, and he wouldn't lie, they were all good. Practice commenced in one of _The Starving Musician_'s back rooms since the shop would be closed until after New Years, and Percy got the OK from their boss after being scolded for borrowing the haunted drums, which he insisted Leo use anyways.

Percy's guitar skills were undoubtedly more impressive than Jason's, proving himself by shredding out to _Something I Never Had_ by _Nine Inch Nails_. Leo, on the other hand, slammed on the drums like a pro (to the same song), then proceeded to pretended like he was hardly valid in the music department. Jason felt a ping of jealousy at this, but it was overcome by how proud he was of having a best friend capable of destroying on an instrument that most people overlook. Nico, on the other hand, was by far the most impressive musician among the group.

He'd composed an instrumental piece to _All I Need_ by _Radiohead_, and played the keyboard in such a fluid manner that Leo and Jason sat in complete shock, unable to take their eyes off of his hands. Percy looked smug, as if thinking, _I made the best damn choice in the world by bringing this kid aboard. You suckers better be thankful._ At the same time, he was obviously enticed by his skill, and observed with great admiration. How his fingers were able to glide over the keys, conjuring up such polished tunes, was beyond Jason, but he knew they had a genius on their hands, and Jason suddenly knew there was more to Nico Di Angelo than he let on, and part of him couldn't help but wonder why he picked that song in particular. It seemed to move him with heavy emotion, the way he practically swayed all while pounding the keys nearly as hard as the others hearts pounded.

Besides all this, there were a lot of complications to deal with.

"_Have we even decided what kind of band we are?"_ -Jason

"_Let's just... Alternative, since this will be a bitch to dissect._" -Percy

"_We should call ourselves The Demigods. We will be great; high enough to be considered gods, but not quite, because we also suck._" -Leo

"_Do you really want to give off the impression that we're chauvinistic assholes before we even properly make a name for ourselves?_" -Nico

"_Okay, guys, but what songs are we even covering? Are we making our own songs? Oh, for God's sake, we don't even have a lead singer!_" -Jason

"_...I was kind of hoping one of you would step forward and reveal your secret mermaid-like voice. Any takers? Any one?_" -Percy

"_I can sing, I just don't think I should sing, because somebody's ears will end up bleeding and I'll get yelled at._" -Leo

"_Um, I can sing, I just don't think I can sing in front of big crowds of people. I might end up throwing up on my keyboard, and these things aren't cheap._" -Nico

In the end, The Demigods grew on the boys, and they decided that Nico would sing anyways, despite not actually knowing what he sounded like.

Jason thought about all of this as he slipped into a hoodie and prepared himself for the night ahead of him. Satisfied by the new accomplishments of the band, Jason decided he'd allow himself to enjoy the night, and not stay on edge like a scared middle schooler. Sure, he'd probably be surrounded by drunks, but tomorrow was Christmas, so he'd likely see similar behavior among his family members the following day.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door, and Jason nearly leaped out of his bedroom to answer it. His father, instead, stood at the entrance, greeting Piper and Leo as they stepped inside.

"You kids look nice. Got a night on the town ahead of you?" Zeus winked at the uncomfortable adolescents.

"Yeah... Don't worry, we won't wine and Jason too late, Mr. Grace," Leo quipped, earning an eyebrow raise from the older character on behalf of Leo's implication. Piper squinted at Leo, who immediately shut up.

"Mr. G, your son is usually the one taking care of us, so don't worry too much about him," Piper stated, gaining an approving look from her boyfriend's father.

"Hey, guys, I'm ready," Jason butt in, shooting the two an apologetic look. Zeus smiled at his boy and walked over to him, ruffling his hair and patting him on the shoulder.

"Thalia's coming home early tomorrow, so I expect you to be up early. I should be asleep by the time you get back, so don't forget to set the alarm," Jason's father concluded, before handing Jason his keys and leaving the kids alone. Jason jingled the keys happily in front of him before the group piled out the door.

"It's so cool that he trusts you enough to borrow his car. My folks barely trusted me getting dropped off here," Leo muttered jealously. Not only could Jason borrow his dad's car, but he was borrowing his dad's Cadillac, which he'd been lectured on driving a million times before.

"_That car costs more than some people's college tuition, so I suggest you drive carefully. Don't even think about street racing, or whatever the latest trends are. You'll be in debt to me your entire life if anything happens to it, kiddo._"

It was a nice car, but Jason felt his father's commentary was unnecessary half the time, considering he only got to drive it on special occasions and those threats were drilled into his head at that point. Jason unlocked the car, and Piper immediately shoved Leo aside and climbed in shotgun.

"Piper, come on. Jason won't be able to drive if you guys are groping each other, and even _I'm_ concerned about crashing this thing. Zeus is a scary guy... with an even scarier, ancient name."

"Better me groping him than _you_," Piper insulted, and with that, they were on the road to the Stoll brothers' party.

The party was everything Jason had expected. Students from Half Blood high, and even unfamiliar, older looking faces moved about the premises. The punch had definitely been spiked far before the three showed up, to Piper's dismay.

"I'm not drinking it if I _know_ it's been spiked. That's just no fun," she grumbled, popping open a can of Coke. Jason was relieved, knowing that she most likely just chickened out, but also because he didn't want to be the only sober one. He had to drive, and frankly, that'd be hard with "punch" bubbling on his insides. Leo, on the other hand, had already moved onto his second cup of punch, and although still acting seemingly normal, was slowly becoming a lot more comfortable and loud with his acquaintances. The group had grown, and now Frank, Hazel, Percy, and Annabeth were among them. Frank and Hazel munched on candy canes and laughed at all of their friends, while Percy had actually slipped a candy cane into a cup of pure vodka, and was bellowing with Leo loudly. Annabeth stayed by his side, apologizing for her boyfriend's obnoxious behavior.

"I'm not even kidding! You slip a candy cane in and it tastes like you're drinking mouth wash!" Percy said, laughing, before nearly dropping his cup on the floor. Instead, alcohol splashed onto his shirt, and he wailed in distress.

"Percy, that actually sounds... really gross," Frank replied innocently. "Why do you keep drinking it?"

"I, heheh, don't know!" Percy hiccuped. Annabeth looked to be in physical pain from how idiotic her suitor was acting. She crinkled her nose, trying hard to deal with it all.

"Okay, I think you've had enough," she suggested before confiscating his cup. This earned an _aw_ from Percy.

Now, Leo was stirring his punch with a candy cane, before dumping the concoction down his throat. Without warning, Connor Stoll slid in, a devious grin evident on his lips.

"You guys having a jolly time?" he yelled over the Christmas music, earning a nod from the sobers and vocal reaction from the tipsy boys. "Good, good! Just as intended!"

Jason couldn't help but notice Connor watching him, and as if on instinct, the host reached forward and grabbed Jason's forearm. Jason craved to shake it off, but instead allowed Connor to pull him from his seat. Piper began to get up, but Connor waved her down.

"It's fine, I need to catch up with Jason for a bit. I'll bring him back!" Connor decided, leaving no room for Jason to protest. Jason quickly looked back to Piper, who looked worried, but nodded for him to go and emerged in conversation with Hazel, Annabeth, and Frank. As soon as Connor was sure Jason would follow, he released his grip on his arm, and Jason walked through the crowd, feeling completely out of place among the mass. They walked to the end of the house, where Connor pulled open a sliding door and motioned for Jason to walk outside. Once out of the house, Jason noticed a small group of people sitting on a ledge, cigarettes in hand.

Jason had never been close to Connor; he'd only talked to him a handful of times in the past, and they pretty much lost contact when Jason went off to high school, so the whole scenario before him was just suspicious. Not than Connor was a bad guy, or appeared to be, he was just _sneaky_.

"You seemed a bit tense in there, Jason. Alcohol not your scene?" Connor asked as he past him and advanced towards the strangers. Jason followed numbly, unsure what to say.

"No, not so much. It's more fun to just laugh at my best friend get messed up, if you get me," Jason sassed as the people all turned to look at him now, one of the unfamiliar faces appearing to be a slightly older Connor. And hat's when Jason noticed the smell. What he thought were cigarettes were actually joints, and the folks holding them looked confused at the new presence. More confused than they _should've_ been. Oh boy.

Jason could hardly walk by the time he was led back inside. _Left, right, left, right. Don't fall on your face_. Making his way through the crowd felt more like a roller-coaster ride as faces flashed before him, an uncontrollable numbness tingling through his entire body. He followed Connor back to his group of friends, before Connor simply winked at them and scuttled away. Jason was left, eyes bloodshot and mind disgruntled.

_Here comes Santa Claus! Here comes Santa Claus! Right down Santa Claus lane!_

That song... Jason had heard it a million times before, but it was escalating far too fast to be the same song, and he felt like it was in _another language completely_. Piper's mouth dropped open, and she looked from Leo to Jason, and her face went stone cold.

"Jason Grace, are you high?" she demanded, and Jason looked at her as if she was speaking in Japanese.

"Uh, I don't actually know," he responded before plopping down next to her, everything squiggling before his eyes.

"How on _Earth_ are you going to drive us back?" Piper exploded, her tone suggesting she was angry with him, but Jason couldn't figure out why. Oh, wait, she said something about driving them back. Jason had driven them here. He froze, not exactly sure how to counter her question.

_Can I drive right now? I wonder what time it is in India. No, I don't think I can drive right now... But is it possible to filter ocean water to drink?_

"Can you drive?" Jason urged, and that's when he noticed the cup in her hand. Which suggested she had drank the punch. Although she was acting herself, the normal part of Jason's brain knew that wouldn't be the case for long. "It seems we have a dilemma here. Where did Leo and Percy go?"

"And Annabeth. She's gone too, y'know. They went to puke their brains out, and she went along to hold their hair and make sure Leo doesn't start tongue kissing her boyfriend," Piper confirmed, the alcohol obviously taking affect now. Hazel's eyes widened, and she whispered something to Frank that looked like _this is weird_.

Time carried on, all too quickly while lingering all _too_ slowly at the same time. Piper got more lovey, Hazel and Frank grew tired, and Annabeth, Percy, and Leo stayed hidden for most of the remainder of the party. Towards the end, a drunk Piper leaned against Jason and watched as some of the other goers tried to sing karaoke across the room. Nothing said warm Winter night like a bunch of intoxicated teenagers trying to sing Christmas classics. At that point, the effects of Jason's high were wearing off, and he was slowly becoming his normal self.

"I actually have to take Hazel home," Frank finally got up, nodding to a nearly sober Jason. "Can't have her breaking curfew. Parents can be scary. Will you guys be okay alone?"

"I'm fine, now," Jason assured, getting up to give both of his friends a quick hug. "Don't worry about us, you guys just be safe on the roads."

With that, there was two. Piper was a thoughtful drunk, and was more talkative rather than loud and mindless. That, of course, created an awkwardness factor. She laced the conversation with questions Jason knew she wouldn't ask with a clear mind, but he answered honestly, knowing she probably wouldn't remember most of what they talked about, anyways. Then, she pulled a question from her hat that Jason wasn't expecting.

"Do you love me, Jason?"

Jason stared at her for a moment, comprehending the question, before laughing heartily.

"Well, duh-"

"Then why do you only say it when we're in front of other people?" she sat up, breaking the little physical contact they had, and she clasped her hands together. Jason tried to respond, wanted to say _that isn't true_, but was filled with panic when he realized it _was_. He did so in such a subliminal manner that even he hadn't actually noticed until that moment. Piper waited, completely calm, only to have Jason shake his head and meet her eyes.

"I... I don't know," he whispered, his words painful yet filled with all the honesty in the world. Of course he loved Piper, he _craved_ Piper, but part of him always felt at fault when it came to admitting his feelings in private. He wanted the world to know he _loved_ Piper, because she deserved to feel loved, but he knew he wasn't fully capable of giving her the love she deserved, so he often skirted around that aspect of their relationship. Piper realizing his intentions- or lack of- was a clear sign that Jason had far less control in the relationship than expected.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Piper went on, her voice quiet.

No, there was nothing, except the fact that Jason deserved the worst boyfriend of the year award.

"No, there's not."

His words were tart against his tongue, too brutal for his own sake, and all he wanted to do was leave. Piper had grown quiet, and was simply twirling a candy cane in her hands. She let out a breath of relief, but slid further away from Jason, her aura now tense.

"I'm not _that_ drunk," she burst bitterly. "And I shouldn't have had such high expectations, because all I feel now is hurt."

"You have to understand I just want you to be happy," Jason pleaded, already mentally checking this off of reasons he didn't like parties.

"And you gave me happiness by leading me on to believe you actually love me?" she snapped back.

"I do love you, Piper! I don't say it enough, and I really should, but I do **truly** love you!" Jason begged, wishing for the conversation to end, but he knew Piper better than that. She radiated helplessness, looked like a hurt animal, and nothing Jason was saying seemed to fix things.

"You... You don't love me. You think I don't see that? Maybe you love me, like you love Leo, and Percy, but I don't think you're _in love_ with me. You love the idea of being with me, of our potential in the future, but there's not doubt in my mind that your feelings for me are just lust."

Now, Piper's eyes were filling with tears, and she positioned herself away from Jason. Jason set a soothing hand on her back, which caused her to physically flinch, and he immediately pulled his hand away, still trying to take in what just happened. Piper let out a small sound of distress as Jason's mind was plagued with a million thoughts. Piper figured this all out, drunk, before Jason was even aware of his actual feelings. He wanted to hold her, to tell her it was all wrong and that he really was in love with her, but he'd already caused too much pain, all without even trying. What was the point of egging her on even further? He shook his head, anxiety looming through his bones.

"I'll take you and Leo home. It's been a long night," Jason mustered before standing up. Piper didn't even look up to him, just followed him like a ghost throughout the house as Jason scouted for Leo. They found him sprawled out on a bed, beside Percy, and Annabeth, who was reading on her tablet. She looked up when they entered the room, immediately shooting them a thankful look.

"They passed out not long after throwing up the entire contents of their stomach. Mostly in the toilet, but I'll let the Stolls deal with what didn't quite make it in... What happened to you guys?"

She noticed the pensive look on the two's faces, and Jason hoped she would get the hint and not continue on.

"I'm sure you'll hear about it from Percy soon enough," Piper retorted, earning a concerned stare from Annabeth. Jason walked across the room, avoiding their eyes, and shook Leo.

"Leo, buddy, wakey-wakey. I have to get you home."

Leo's eyes fluttered open, and at the sight of Jason, he slammed them shut and groaned loudly.

"I'm _sooo_ sick," Leo bubbled, and Jason helped him sit up.

"Yeah, me too. Let's get going... And Merry Christmas, Annabeth."

Leo was dropped off first, and aided by Piper, to her own dismay. She had to walk him up to his room and tuck him into bed, which would've been amusing to Jason, if given different circumstances. Upon her return, Jason stayed park in front of Leo's house for a moment, his arm rested against the window sill.

"You feeling okay, Pipes?"

Silence.

"...Yeah, yeah I am, I just have a headache."

Jason drove, the car quiet, the only sound coming from the outside city. Strangely enough, it wasn't awkward, just melancholy, both knowing what would happen in their imminent future. They'd been down these roads many times, but that night, it felt foreign. Unrecognizable. Maybe it was the Christmas lights, or the last effects of the high...

No, Jason knew what the actual culprit was.

Upon arrival at Piper's apartment complex, the two found themselves sitting again, at loss for words.

"I don't want things to change between us," Jason finally admitted, his tone innocent, like a scared child. It felt weird, to confess something so vile to Piper, who wouldn't even look at him. His words were selfish, insecure, but once again, honest.

"It doesn't work that way..." Piper speculated, her voice exhausted. "We've both been greedy; in denial. I will always love you, Jason, but not in the way we wanted. We're too young, too _expecting_. People say it_ never works _out with teenagers because they put too much of themselves into relationships that are bound to fail. It just hurts to know how right that statement is. I don't think I can see you for the rest of break. I _really_ need to think about things."

Piper climbed out of the car, Jason following. When she went around, he opened his arms to her, and she fell into the embrace, trembling in his arms.

"You're such an idiot. _Such an idiot_! But I still love you. Things need to end here, though, for our own good. We'll always be better off as friends, Jason."

"I'm going to miss this, though," Jason croaked, literally feeling sick in the cold night air. "I just... Promise not to leave Leo and me behind. Please? I messed up- I messed up _so_ much, but I can't imagine my life without you. I never meant to hurt you, you know that. Just... _Promise_."

Piper nodded into his chest, gripping him slightly tighter for a second before releasing her hold on him.

"I promise. I just need to be alone for a while... Have a nice Christmas, Jay," she sniveled, and then began to make her way to the front of the building, not once looking back. Then, she was gone, without a sign she was ever there, or even in Jason's car. Jason slid back behind the wheel, hardly ready for the longest drive home in the world. That's when the chest pains started.

The sound of pots and pans clinging downstairs pulled Jason from his sleep. The events from the night before replayed in his head, and his motivation to get up and start moving was drawn away by the idea of staying in bed. But it was Christmas, meaning he couldn't pull that today, or else Thalia would show up and drag him out by his feet. Or maybe it was destiny...

_Knock, knock, knock!_

_Creaaaak_...

In popped a far too familiar face, with eyes that matched Jason's, and black hair that was the complete opposite. The corners of her mouth immediately shot up once she caught sight of Jason, and shoved her way into his room and sprinted to his bed, practically jumping in with him. Jason yelped in surprise as Thalia threw her arms around him. His sister had definitely grown stronger, clearly toned from the archery unit she had joined in college, and not to mention the army training she did when not studying. He missed having her around, but was proud of her to no end, on the other hand.

"Nnn, merry Christmas to you, too, sis!" Jason laughed into her shoulder, giving in to her hug.

"I've missed you so much, you dope! I have _so_ much to tell you- hey, you smell like pot," Thalia pointed out before ruffling his hair. His family had a bad habit of doing that to him. Jason grimaced, but couldn't help but laugh, because he was happy to be reunited with his older sister, and at least _she_ hadn't changed. Jason felt like he had changed more in one night than in his entire sixteen years of existence, but maybe that's how most people felt after break-ups.

"Can I get changed first?" Jason asked, still in his sister's death-lock. She slowly released him, and stood up, crossing her arms.

"I can hardly believe that the great Jason Grace wasn't up and ready before I even arrived. What happened? You look kinda awful..."

"Piper and I broke up," he revealed, a strange sensation filling him from admitting it for the first time. Thalia immediately took on a worried, parental stature, and drove her fingers to her mouth.

"_Oh_. Do you wanna talk about it over breakfast?"

_Not really._

"That's fine, I'll be down in five minutes."

"So, do you have any regrets?" Thalia asked as if it was the most normal, non-insensitive question in the world. That's why Jason adored his sister. She didn't sugar coat things, no matter how much they made him want throw his plate at the wall.

"A lot. The major ones being not treating her better, and hurting her, and, well, you know, not giving her what she _actually deserves_."

"But you _did_. You need to stop acting like you poisoned her; breaking up with her was probably the best decision you've made in a while, considering you went off and joined a band. What about stuff you're glad happened?"

"I'm happy that I got to be with her for the short amount of time I was. I'm really, really glad I didn't sleep with her, because things would've been way worse. Oh, and I'm glad things didn't end on bad terms."

_Somewhat like they did with Reyna._

Thalia forked egg into her mouth, nodding at her little- or not so little- brother as if she was advising him on what kind of car he should get rather than giving him relationship advice. Jason looked at his plate, not exactly hungry, and proceeded to play with his food with his fork.

"You better eat that or else I will, and then you'll have to fill up on cookies when we get to grandma's."

"I'm just a little stuck, sis. Every time I'm in a relationship, _I'm_ the one who ends up being the bad guy in the end. It's not like I try," Jason confided in Thalia, who just rolled her eyes at him.

"Hey, we're just built bad. Jokes aside, it was both of your faults. You're not a bad person for messing up a few times as a kid. Don't be so hard on yourself; there was nothing you could've done. It just wasn't there. Love is a tricky business, one that is easier to avoid. You'll know when it's real, because you'll think, '_wow, this person is a mess and probably insane, but I'm willing to let them into my world, anyways'_. It'll happen, and if it doesn't, who cares? That's life. We're not here to fall in love, we're here to survive. Love is a game you get to play on the side."

Thalia finished up her breakfast, and reached over to stab Jason's waffle.

"Hey! I'm going to eat that..."

"Then do so!"

Jason stuffed his mouth with the food, which was practically tasteless, but he wanted to fill his stomach then to avoid having to survive on cookies later.

"What about you? How has life been in the real world?" Jason asked with his mouth full. This hardly phased his sister.

"Normal... I'm off call until February, so I've been amercing myself in my training. College food is terrible, by the way. I can't even count how many times I've had to eat garlic fries for dinner because I can't tell what anything else is."

"You mean that's not just high school? I had higher hopes for college."

"Yeah, well, don't."

With that, Thalia continued on to discuss how her life was going, continuing on about paying taxes, how expensive everything was, and all of the other glamorous aspects of being an adult. Despite all the drama that had unveiled in Jason's life, he was happy to just hear Thalia's voice, let alone be in her presence. It was amazing how much she had grown up in such a small amount of time. Jason remembered when she was in his shoes; scared about her future, confused about relationships, and deciding whether or not she would join the military. She had blossomed into a graceful young lady, complete with big muscles and short, dyed hair that said, _if you even look at me wrong, you'll take an arrow to the knee. _

Jason thought she was absolutely beautiful.

A few moments later, Zeus emerged, dressed in his favorite holiday sweater that his children had told him numerous times was the ugliest thing they'd ever seen. It was mocha colored, with a blocky, blue stripe across the chest, and had a green triangle overriding his left breast that was supposedly a tree. A big smile formed on his face at the sight of his children eating together.

"My two favorite cubs are ready to go! How has your morning been, you two?"

"Jason broke up with his girlfriend," Thalia mentioned, casually, causing Jason to nearly drop his fork. Zeus's eyes widened at his boy, and he slowly walked up to him.

"Piper? Why, what happened? I liked her, she has a rich daddy..."

"Can we not get into this right now? It's Christmas, let's concentrate on happy family stuff," Jason hissed, setting his silverware down and pushing his plate forward. Thalia swooped in like a hawk and stuffed her face with the remainder of his food.

"Fine. Before we head out, I have a present for the both of you," Zeus claimed, producing two envelopes from his pocket. He slid one in front of Thalia, the other in front of Jason, and watched his kids rip them open.

In Thalia's card, her father had written her a small letter, and out fell multiple hundred dollar bills. Her eyes widened, and she leaped up to throw her arms around her father.

"Thanks, dad. I promise I won't spend it on anything _too_ dumb," she said, causing her father to chuckle.

Next, Jason pulled out his card, which was... empty. The card read,

_To my son, Jason, on Christmas day. Congratulations on surviving this many Christmases, dear boy. I'm tired of worrying about you crashing my car, so I hope this suffices. _

Next thing Jason knew, his dad had smacked a set of keys down in front of him.


End file.
